Her Forgotten Sacrifice
by IAmTheStars
Summary: No one remembers her. No one remembers her face, her innocence, her importance. No one remembers her love, the sacrifice she made to save one small, insignificant child. She was cast out, cursed to never be remembered by those she touched with her grace, inspired with her words, and protected with her might. All because of one little boy, she was erased from time and forgotten.
1. Prologue: Neverending Nightmare

**Soooooooo... Yeah. Some people who follow me are probably wondering what unholy demon possessed to start yet another story. That demon would be called the diabolical plot bunny and it has been tormenting me for months on end. Please understand that I have tried with every fiber of my being to ignore it, to push it away- I even considered calling a priest, but to no avail. I lost the battle and have been forced to write this here prologue for you. Please forgive me, but I couldn't handle this plot bunny tormenting my poor soul any longer.**

**This is actually A story I posted on here a super long time ago when my writing was horrible, but only got about three chapters in because of reasons I don't even care to remember. Reading it was absolute torture (seriously, if you want to torture a writer, then just make them read some of their first stories.), but the plot I had with it still sounded promising and reawakened a spark inside me. So I decided to delete, HEAVILY edit, and re-upload. Hopefully, this time things will turn out much better! **

**This will be a Link/OC story, as well as a girl from our world gets dumped into Hyrule story which I know many readers must be tired of and dislike. This is my own take on it and I'm adding my own twists and turns that I'm hoping at least a few people will appreciate. I should also warn that the updates may be slow because I have so many other projects happening right now, so please bare with me. **

**If you DON'T like any of the things that I have stated above, then please DON'T read this fic instead of reading and sending me flaming reviews. I have had enough of them come my way and unless they contain something constructive, they will be ignored. But, if you do like these things, then PLEASE read on and PLEASE leave a review. Tell me if you're interested and is you think this is worth continuing. It would really mean a lot. :) **

**Read On! **

* * *

For as long as I can remember I have had the same recurring dream.

I never see the beginning, nor the end. I am always somewhere in the middle of time, never knowing exactly how this nightmare started or how it will conclude. I am surrounded by burning buildings in the dead of night. Sounds of broken homes and screams of horror fill my ears. Out of the corners of my eyes I see angry flames consuming helpless victims, filling the air with the smell of burnt flesh. Smoke is filling my lungs and tears well in my eyes from the sting. I stumble around, the grounds sharp pebbles digging into my bare feet painfully, but the pain hardly registers in my frantic mind. There is so much terror coursing through my veins, so much pain and panic, but these feelings are not for my own life, strangely. It is then that I become aware of the weight in my arms and I collapse from exhaustion. My feelings unspeakable fear are for an unconscious, bleeding child in my arms- a young boy who looks no older than eight years of age. He is close to death.

I cradle him in my arms, trying to protect him from the raging war around us. I try to whisper comforts and sweet nothings over the chaos surrounding us even though I know they fall upon dead ears. I can't let him die. He is too precious, too innocent to suffer the way he is.

Though many would disagree, my life isn't even worth a fraction of his in my eyes.

I never know why, but I would give anything for this peculiar boy. He means so much to me, more than anything in my life. I take my burned hand and bring it up to stroke his bruised and bleeding face, brushing the singed and blackened strands of hair out of his face.

"Please don't leave me." I whisper hoarsely. "Please stay here. I will protect you. I promise... I promise..." My voice sounds so exhausted and raspy from the smoke, but still young, like I too am just a child.

I see that he is fading, fading fast. I know what I must do to save him. I am exhausted, a unfamiliar sensation that I have felt so few times in my life and all I want to do I collapse, but no, I push it back and remind myself that this is for him. I am willing to give anything to him, even my life.

_Why?_

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light shines through the devastation. It's so bright, so powerful that I have no choice but to cover my face, further cradling the boy into me as I bury my face into his hair. I look up to see three beautiful women standing before me. I recognize them. But beautiful is an unfair word to describe these goddesses. Despite looking so different from each other, I know they are sisters. They hold themselves in the same stature and all possess the same golden aura that surrounds them. For just one moment I am relieved to see them and am about to beg them to help this precious boy, to save his life. But with one look at their faces, that relieving moment is over.

One looks at me disapprovingly at me. I can see such disappointment and shock in her startling blue eyes and one tear escape them. It travels slowly down her ebony cheek. I am startled. She rarely shows emotion like this. I have broken her seemingly unbreakable heart.

The blonde woman next to her looks so betrayed. Her green eyes are brimming with tears. I feel as if have let her down the most, like I have broken a precious promise to a dear friend. I know that I have and such shame fills me.

I can't bare to look at her any longer so I turn away, the guilt proving too much for me to bare. But the last woman I look to, the one standing right above me looks at me with so much hate and anger burning in her amber eyes that I can't even begin to explain the fear that through courses me. Her very being exudes power and seductive beauty that could make the boldest casanova lose his breath and fall to his knees and worship her. She shakes her head slowly, causing her wild red hair to sway and resemble the fire that still rages around us. I feel so powerless next to her, so weak and broken. I am nothing next to her.

"What have you done, Axel?" She asks quietly and slowly. Her voice sounds so soft, yet I feel infuriating hate is laced with every word.

"..._What have you done?"_

* * *

**I know it's not much, but I have some pretty big ideas for this story! Tell me what you like, don't like and what I could improve on. I honestly can't say enough how much your feedback means to me. It always helps and encourages me to become a better writer. **

**Thank you for reading! :)**

**-IAmTheStars **

**P.S. I don't own LOZ. **


	2. Falling Into Darkness

**Hey! I finally got around to writing the first chapter! Woo-Hoo! :D **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

I hate that dream.

I hate the fear that it brings me, the feelings of despair and betrayal. I hate how I feel love and heartbreak for a child that I have never even met.

I have only told a few people about this dream in my seventeen years of living. Once, a supposed psychic at a street fair told me it was a vision of a past life, or my life in another alternate dimension. She then proceeded to charge me an extra ten bucks because the clarity of her revelation.

A priest once said it was Gods way of punishing me for my sins, though I can't imagine what sins a five year old could have committed.

At school, the counselor said it was my brains way of rationalizing my not knowing where I come from, but nothing in that dream seems rational to me. I have been told by many of my caretakers that it's my imagination, but how such a young girl imagine such a terrifying thing? It's too vivid, too mature for any child to imagine on her own.

What could it possibly be?

I can lay down for hours upon hours, wondering why my mind thinks of such things, why I dream up such graphic and frightening images over and over again. But I never come up with an answer. As much as I wish I could, I never do. Maybe that psychic wasn't the total nut case I originally thought her to be.

_'Ten dollars.'_

No, no she definitely was.

Even now, as I lay in my bed in my cramped room, no answers come to me. Maybe there is no answer. Maybe my caretakers are right and it is just my imagination.

I turn my head to see what time it is and curse. My digital clock tells me it's 2:33 am, several hours before any sane human being should be up. I don't really mind, though. I have never been an easy sleeper. I wish I was. I'll bet it feels great to get a full nights sleep.

I try to go back to sleep, but unfortunately, I have that stupid feeling that my body won't shut down. I toss and turn, then toss some more, but it's not happening. The room feels so over crowded and stuffy and all I want to do is get out. I sigh and lift myself from my too warm bed and slip on some jean shorts and a bra. My room is small, so small in fact that it only takes a few strides of my short legs to reach my door and gently open it. Careful not to wake anybody else in our vast and echoey home, I tip toe in my hiking boots out of my room.

The cool air of the hallways are a welcoming change from the stuffy hot air of my room and causes goose bumps to rise on my bare arms and legs. I slowly creep through the dark and spacious hallways. The large windows let in moonlight and create shadows that I try to ignore, but the occasional hand shaped tree branch from outside makes me jump as I turn some corners. I travel through the large mansion that is the orphan girls home that I live in, through more halls and down stairways before I finally reach the back door. I swing my backpack on my shoulders and walk out of the mansion and into the vast woods that reside behind it.

* * *

The woods I trek through sounds with whimsical noises from all the crickets and night birds that live in it. From the chirping birds and squeaking rodents to the sound of the bubbling stream nearby, no place here is ever silent, even in the middle of the night. I need no flashlight to see, the bright full moon lighting the path in front of me. Besides, I could probably navigate these woods with my eyes closed. I'm munching on a large apple as a walk along the secret path that I have never told any other girl about. Most of the other girls would probably be too frightened to walk these woods with me at night, but even as a child, the dark forest has never scared me much. As a matter of fact, away from the busy home and in the woods is where I feel most at peace for some strange reason.

I reach a small clearing in the woods, one that I try to visit often. It's full of wildflowers and tall grass that tickle my bare legs as I stroll by, making it look magical and enchanting. I breath deeply, enjoying the fresh smells of flowers and clean air. I set my pack down and sit near the stream that passes through, loving the sound of it's constant bubbling and splashing against rocks. The bright moonlight peeking through the clearing is all the I see as I smile softly and lay on my back, slowly drifting...

* * *

_Snap!_

I bolt upright. Stars burst in front of my eyes and I'm feel winded from the sudden movement. It's still dark out, so I couldn't have been sleeping for very long.

I rub the sleep out of my eyes before looking around me. The moon offers enough light for me to see somewhat clearly, but I don't see any immediate danger. Still something feels off. I shiver.

_'It's quiet.'_ I realize._ 'Too quiet.'  
_

_Snap!_

I hear more twigs snap in the distance. There is something bigger than rodents or birds nearby. '_A deer? A raccoon? A-'_

_Growl..._

Well, that's definitely not a deer.

I hear another growl, closer than the last.

_'Oh my God.'_ Panic rises in my throat and I fight the urge to puke.

_'What was that? A wolf? A cougar?'_

I look around frantically while my mind goes into panic mode, imagining all the ways I could be brutally murdered out here. No one would know, no one would find my body. My eyes start playing tricks on me, turning branches into snakes and bushes into giant, menacing black bears. I grab my bag and crouch behind the large rock I was sleeping against, hoping to hide myself from whatever hungry beast wants to eat me. I peek over the rock behind me. I think see a shadow lurk in the dark shade of the trees, one that I can't make out.

All I see are red eyes.

_'Red?'_

I hear another growl. This one sounds so much closer.

I shrink behind my rock and slap a hand over my mouth, forcing myself not to scream.

_'What the hell is that?'_

_'Please, I can't die now.'_

I silently send a frantic prayer to anyone or anything who will listen while tears leak from my eyes and slide down my cheeks. I reach into my bag and pull out my swiss army knife, one that I stole from a girl I didn't like. My only weapon. I clutch onto it with vice like fists, but it does nothing to stop the trembling blade. How could I be so stupid? There is no way of protecting myself, no way I can defend myself from any wild animals. '_I'm such an idiot.'_

I grip my knife tightly in both of my hands. My fingers hurt and my knuckles I'm sure are paper white. I hear more footsteps- large footsteps, make their way across my meadow.

_Thump._

_Thump._

_Thump._

_Thump._

The red eyed shadow I know can only be a few feet away from my hiding spot, but I can't move. I'm frozen. I'm petrified. '_Please move...'_

_Thump._

_Thump._

_Thump._

Suddenly, Silence.

Silence.

And more silence.

I'm squeezing my eyes shut, but tears still manage to escape them. Maybe if I close them tight enough, I will dissapear. Like when I was child. When I didn't want to be found. Like when-

'_It's so quiet.' _I suddenly realize.

_'Is it gone?'_

_'Am I safe?'_

I let out a shaky breath.

_'Should I open my eyes?'_

I open them.

_'Oh God.'_

I am not safe.

Its large snout is the first thing I see. Then the midnight black fur surrounding it. Then its eyes, its glowing red eyes. It's crouching in front of me and baring its teeth, only a foot away from me. It exhales and I feel its rancid breath on my face, confirming that this is not in my imagination.

This threat is very real.

It glares at me with its teeth bared, sniffing, undoubtedly smelling my fear that is desperately trying to escape me.

A choked sob escapes my throat.

It roars in my face, making my braid swing wildly behind me. I let out an ugly shriek and blindly slash with my knife _(Stupid idea) _but I don't bother to look where I hit. I only feel a tug and pull and I know my blade has struck its target. It roars, a sound that echoes through the whole wood, and that's when my fight or flight finally kicks in. '_About fucking time.'_

My body chooses flight. I bolt, not even knowing which direction I am headed. As long as it's away from this nightmare.

I run and I run and I run and I run.

I'm try to be silent as I escape, but I can't hold in the terrified sobs that escape my throat. More and more tears blur my vision and I trip over something. It takes a long moment for me to hit the ground and for a moment I think I have miraculously uncovered a superpower of flight that has manifested itself in my dire time of need _(thank God)_, but then I figure I have tripped off an extremely steep hill when I slam my face into the ground at a steep decline _(fuck)_.

I roll and roll down the hill forever, every part of my body being banged, cut, battered and bruised and I hear myself yelp whenever I make contact with the unforgiving rocks. I land on the hard ground after falling for what seems like eternity. I hear an anguished cry come from somewhere, terrifying me and it takes my entirely too long to realize that it came from my own mouth. Every part of my body is pulsating with pain. Excruciating. My head is pounding, my limbs feel like a thousand pounds, but nothing is worse the agonizing pain in my right side. I bring my hand to touch it. I feel hot liquid. Blood. There is so much blood. Everywhere. Panic rises in me. I look down and with the light of the moon I see red expanding across my white shirt. And my knife. My knife is no longer in my hand.

It's in my side. Right in between my ribs, I think.

_'Oh god. I'm dying.'_

I touch it. I'm trying to pull it out, but I think all I'm doing is screaming in agony, though I can't be sure because of the pounding in my head. So much blood. So much horrible pain. _I can't_. Everything is blurry. Everything is spinning. I can't breathe. I can't focus on anything.

Nothing, until I see red eyes.

It's back. Only, this time it's standing on two legs. This time the wolfish creature stands tall, probably at nine feet, maybe even more. It starts stalking towards me. Its razor sharp claws poised to to strike, to kill me. Its teeth shine in the moonlight and its bloodied eye leaking. It growls and I scream bloody murder.

"NO!" I cry, sounding so pathetic and weak. I try to stand and run, but I can't even make it to my knees. "Please!" I beg as if I can reason with this creature. My sobs convulse my body and any power of speech has left me. I'm hopeless.

_'I'm going to die.'_

"Please." I whisper weakly.

The wolf only growls louder. It pulls back its paw, ready to strike me. I close my eyes. I wait.

_'Please be quick.'_

_'Please be painless.'_

_Snap!_

_HOWL!_

_'...What?'_

The wolf howls in distress. My eyes snap open and I see an arrow has lodged itself into the side of the monster. Then another. Then another. The creature falls to the ground. It's is weak. It's injured.

This is my chance. I need to get out.

I don't even try to look for the owner of the arrows, my possible savior. '_I need to get out NOW.'_ I pull myself up by the trunk of a tree, but not without letting out another anguished scream. I try to run, though I'm pretty sure I'm doing nothing more than a pathetic limp. I move forward. The pain is too much. Then I move a little more. Why is the ground spinning? A few steps more.

My breath catches in my throat, and it's so painful because my body is telling me _"No no no no breathe! We need air... we need air..."_

_'I can't-'_

* * *

The dark forest became quiet. The wolfos howls ceased. The girls cries suddenly were silenced. The tall hooded figure emerges from the shadows of the wood and into the moonlight. He fastened his bow onto his back before looking around, searching for the fallen form of the girl. He takes long strides forward, stepping over the large monsters body without making so much as a whisper of sound. He doesn't stop to check to see if the beast is actually dead as he reclaims his arrows. He is sure of his aim.

He finds the girls body, and for a moment he is sure she is dead and feels the slightest bit panicked, but the labored sound of her unconscious breathing proved him otherwise.

'_This can't be it.' _He thought.

How could this be the person he was sent to retrieve? She is so small, so weak. She couldn't even defend herself from her own knife, let alone a wolfos. How could she be the one?

He sighs sharply, feeling more than a little bitter at being taken so far off his path by a reckless girl in strange, scant clothing.

He kneels down to inspect her wounds. They will have to wait until he can get her to a more secure location to be treated properly. He gingerly picks her short frame up with ease, being careful to avoid touching the knife sticking out of her side, but he wasn't careful enough. She whimpers like a child _("She probably is." _He thinks, _"She looks no older than sixteen.) _and another tear escapes her closed eye. He stopped and looks down at her, hoping that she won't wake. She doesn't. Her face is covered in sweat and her hair no longer resembles a braid, if that what it even was before.

No, she can't be the one. He'll treat her wounds, get her to safety then carry on with his search. She is definitely not the one.

Or so he thought, until her hand twitched. He looks towards it, placed gingerly on her stomach, and gasps at what he sees. Bewilderment fills him and he nearly drops her.

A very strange marking.

An upside down golden triangle in the middle of her hand.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoy it so far. **

**Please leave a review! It really makes my writing worthwhile when I get feedback. It means so much. :)**

**-IAmTheStars**


	3. Staring Stranger

**Thank you to everyone who is following this story and giving it a chance!**

**And a special thank you to Zetra Shink for reviewing! Honestly, it means so much. :)**

* * *

The smell of smoke and the sound of crickets awaken me.

My eyes open to the sight of starlight peeking through tree tops. My entire left side feels warm and I see a small fire burning in my peripheral vision. My body feels heavy, numb... It's so warm and inviting. So cozy….

My eyelids become heavier and begin to droop once more.

_'Wait.'_

How did I get here? ...Where is here?

….What the hell happened to me?

I twitch, and suddenly everything is pain. My head hurts so bad, but I try to ignore it. I need to remember _something_, but all of my thoughts are a jumbled mess. Think harder! Why can't I remember? Tears start leak from my eyes in panic and frustration but my arms feel too heavy to wipe them away. Why does my body hurt so much?

_'Think!'_

I retrace my steps. I left the home. I remember going to the meadow. I fell asleep. Something woke me. What? I was being chased. Feeling so scared and hopeless. What was following me?

…The wolf. I remember now. The giant towering wolf and it's red eyes. More tears escape my eyes at the horrifying memory. Or was it a hallucination? I slashed it's eye and ran. I ran so hard. I tripped. I fell. Far. Everything hurt.

The knife in my side. _'Oh God.'_

My whole body jerks at them memory and inhale sharply when pain erupts on my right side. I look down. The knife isn't there any more. Instead, my shirt had been torn, exposing my stomach and my tightly bandaged rib cage. How did they get here? Where is the wolf? Who brought me here? Something is missing!

I touch the area where blood is leaking through the cloth bandage. Bad idea. The pain is so sharp, so excruciating that I nearly double over, but again my body feels like a thousand pounds. I press my hand tightly over my mouth to prevent the screams from escaping, not wanting to alert anything or anyone to my position, wherever it may be, and I notice that my right wrist has been bandaged also along with my now shoeless ankle. I gently pull at the white cloth binding the wound on my torso while still biting the knuckles of my other hand, wanting to fully asses the damage done to my body. I'm scared at what I might find. What if it gets-

"I wouldn't."

My entire body freezes at the sound of the unexpected voice. A male voice. I very slowly turn my head and see a figure across the fire, sitting on blankets similar to the ones I am lying on, leaning on the tree behind him. My eyes widen. Most of his face is obscured by a green hood only exposing his sharp jawline to the firelight. His mouth is set in a straight line, looking a little grim and extremely intimidating.

All I do is stare at him like an idiot with my mouth open, ready to scream, but my voice seemed to lose itself between my brain and my lips. My loud, shaky breathing is the only sound that leaves me. I'm too frightened to do anything else but stare at the striking figure across from me like an idiot. Though I can't see them, I can feel his eyes piercing into mine, studying me, probably trying to guess my next move. I sit up slowly, never taking my eyes away from his ominous form and heroically succeeding in not screaming at my torsos protest.

Once I'm upright, I freeze once again. I don't know what the hell I am supposed to do. I'm so scared. I can't run, I have a hole in my side and I am in a unknown forest with an unknown staring stranger. An escaped tear falls from my face and lands on my chest, stinging whatever scratch was inflicted during my tumble down the hill. 'When_ did I start crying?' _More tears slide down my face, but I don't bother to wipe them away. I can't. I'm petrified.

Suddenly he moves, swiftly lifting himself from the ground in one fluid movement and starts to make his way towards me. His boot clad feet don't make a sound as they hit the ground, moving expertly across the foliage. I scoot myself back away from the stranger, my fright giving my sore limbs the strength to try and escape from his approaching frame. I pathetically whimper at the pain in my side, but I can't stop moving away from him. He's obviously going to do something terrible to me. My back hits a tree. I can't move anymore. I'm already exhausted from my meager movements. More and more panic start to bubble in my stomach and my breathing becomes more labored. What does he want? He's going to kill me. Oh my god, I'm going to die.

I cower into the tree and shield my tear streaked face with my arms in a lame attempt to shield myself from him.

"Please. Please don't." I sound so small. "St-stay away!"

My voice makes him stop. He slowly lifts his hands, showing no weapon, nothing he could hurt me with. He takes another silent step towards me.

"No!" I try to sound stronger, remembering that lesson back in school on how not to get kidnapped and/or raped. _"Don't make yourself look like a potential victim. Stand straight and absolute. Do not look weak." _

_'I am epicly failing,' _I realize.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

I don't believe him. The adrenaline I feel in my veins is enough to make my quickly shoot to my feet and make a run for it. How? I have no fucking clue. I have no idea where to go and I (_Stupidly?_) don't care. I just need to get away from this unknown man and out of this terrible forest and back to the girls home. Someone there will help me. I almost get excited at going back.

Almost.

But then, I feel one strong arm snake its way around my waist, carefully avoiding the wound while another wraps itself tightly across my shoulders.

"No!" I cry but a large hand quickly covers my mouth. I struggle against his hard chest, but to no avail. He drags me back to the tree I was cowering against and sets me down against it, effectively pinning me. He manages to pin both my arms against my chest and still keep my mouth covered but I still cry against it. I try to yank my arms out of his vice like grip, my mind imagining all the horrid things this formidable man could to me.

_Rape, torture, kidnapping, murder-_

He harshly hushes me with a hard jerk that painfully shakes my whole body.

"I am not going to hurt you, but you have to stay quiet!" His gravelly voice has taken a harsher tone and he sounds supremely irritated. His eyes quickly scan the forest surrounding us, a flash of panic is his eyes, but that is quickly concealed. That scares me even more, enough to actually do what he tells me. Jeez, I'm such a wimp.

"I'm going to remove my hand now, but you cannot scream. Do you hear me?" No answer. I just stubbornly (or stupidly) look away. "I won't remove it until you promise." I finally nod my head after several moments.

He slowly removes his hand from my face, and the warning look in his eyes tell me to keep the promise I was currently thinking of breaking. It's then that I realize that his hood has been removed, probably from my wild writhing in his arms. His features I notice are very sharp and defined, everything slightly angled upward. _'Like a wolf.' _I think. _'...Kinda handso-'_

_'No! You stop that right now!'_

His sharp jawline and cheekbones and defined nose look like they could cut your finger just from poking them. His hair is wild, thick, choppy and astoundingly messy, sticking out in every direction and angle, adding to his predatory look with the way his fringe brushes over his eyes. His eyes are angular and predatory, framed with thick dark lashes and are a rather alarming shade of cobalt blue. They stare me down, practically daring my to try and run again. I don't, too scared of the consequences that may follow.

I should stop staring. What if it makes him angry?

My mind briefly remembers the nickname a social worker once gave me:

"_Anxiety Girl! Able to leap to the worst conclusion in a single bound!"_

I now realize she wasn't too far off the mark.

"I need to change your bandages." His gravely voice interrupts my musings.

_'Absolutely NOT' _

There is no way I am exposing my torso for this strangely dressed weirdo man in the middle of some woods that seem to be infested by mutant wolves.

"You've reopened your wound." He cuts off the frantic shaking of my head. "I'll try to make it painless, but you really have no choice unless you want to bleed to death." I feel like this is some sort of off putting way of his to comfort me, but I don't really think it's working. In fact, it's really not.

"Please." He is obviously trying sound softer, but still rough around the edges and laced with annoyance at my stubborness. "I promise, it won't take long."

I don't answer, but apparently that's answer enough for him. He gently released my wrists from and stands much taller than I had anticipated, a height that can easily dwarf my 5'2 frame. With my hysteria _slightly_ ebbed, I actually study at him as he returns to his side of the fire to collect something or another. His clothing certainly is strange. From his brown leggings and green tunic to the darker green cloak on his shoulders, he certainly looked he fell out of a fantasy novel of some sort. _  
_

_'Oh, good. He's a handsome CRAZY__ weirdo man.'_

I'd probably shouldn't ask no matter how much I want to, seeing as how possibly insulting the only thing in the goddamn forest that may be keeping me alive wouldn't really work out in my favor.

"I'm going to look at your side first." He informs me as he settles back down in front of me, voice still soft, albeit the tone sounds a bit forced.

"No."

"I'm trying to help you."

"I don't care!"

"Do you care about an infection?"

"..."

It's times like these where it's really hard being a borderline hypochondriac.

He looks to my abdomen before looking back at me, silently asking me for permission with his eyes, but I'm under the impression that I might not have a choice. But I guess it's somewhat kind of him to offer me the illusion.

He reaches for the hem of my now ruined bandages, but my hand snaps up and wraps itself around his wrist, effectively startling us both. My mind starts to go to that panicked state again, where rape and murder are at the forefront. I'm in a strange place filled with strange creatures with a strange stranger in strange clothes and-

"It's okay." He says. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I don't trust him.

_'He did save you.'_

How the hell can you be sure of that?

_'How else would you still be breathing?'_

I still don't trust him.

_'You are in an incredible amount of pain.'_

I don't care.

_'It could get infected.'_

I kind of care. But not that much.

_But-_

Shut up!

His arm twitches in my hand and pulls me out of my inner dialogue with my (probably) more sensible self. I give him a suspicious once over, noticing that there are no weapons on him that I can see. There is some more cloth bandages, a bowl of water, and another bowl containing some kind of salve in the ground next to us. There in no hostile look on his face or any look of ill content, just slight annoyance and….. bewilderment?

I think I have been staring a lot longer than I realize.

He quickly slips his hand out of my feeble grasp, but before I can freak out he replaces it with something else.

My Swiss. The one that was in my side not that long ago. My only weapon.

I snatch it out of his hand with surprising speed and eject the blade, instantly feeling safer. It contains no bloodstain, no indication that it had gouged the eyeball of a feral animal or impaled a human being. It just glints dangerously in the firelight. Well, at least dangerously to me, but when I look to his hardend face, he's just studying it impassively, like it holds no real threat to him.

Ah, another illusion.

How kind.

My safe feeling dissipates and suddenly as it appeared, but I don't lessen my grip on the handle. I hold it in a white knuckled grip as he slowly pulls me from the tree. He settles on his knees in front of me while I sit with my legs crossed. He once again reaches for the hem of the cloth and with no small amount of self control, I don't stop him this time.

I look away at this point, all of my discomfort, anxiety, and humiliation no doubt on full display. My knife wielding hand begins to tremble and I'm crying again. I feel the tug and pull as he unties my bandages, white hot pain flaring up with every nudge. I sniffle, trying to keep my crying as silent as possible.

"I'm sorry." He tells me, but I don't look his way. "I know how much this can hurt."

"Do you?" I may later cringe at my passive aggressive, bitchy tone, but I can't really help sounding like a brat right now. The extreme pain I am feeling mixed with the situation I find myself in has made me more than a little bitter. I hate him.

But he just replies, "I do." without missing a beat.

Now I look at him. _'What the hell did he mean by that?' _He is still intensely focused on my torso, his brow furrowed in concentration as he cleans gash in my side, the cool water helping to lessen the heat emanating from it. My eyes move from his face to my side, craning my neck a bit to do so. I instantly regret. The bleeding has stopped- for the most part, but the skin surrounding the hole is an angry red and puffy before fading into a bruise purple. I instantly look away and suppress a gag. It may or may not have been leaking something that isn't blood.

"You're lucky you didn't pierce any vital organs." He tells me, still focused on my wound. _"You" _he says, because I stabbed _myself _like an idiot. I roll my eyes, though I I'm not sure if I'm rolling them at my own stupidity, or at his ill concealed condescending tone. Probably both.

The salve he uses is a miracle. I don't know what's in it or what causes the cooling effect before rendering my entire side numb, but I can't help the sigh that escapes my lips as he applies it.

"I don't need stitches?" I ask tiredly when he reaches for the bandages.

"No. The mixture will seal your skin together."

Weird, but I'm not questioning it. From the relief in my side to the adrenaline wearing off, my body has become relaxed and extremely tired, my knife hand now lying limply in my lap. My mind starts to wander to other things it's more relaxed state, like how embarrassing it is to have my shirt torn up to my boobs while in front of a _(Not handsome) _guy, baring my very soft and very prominent tummy pouch that I have never been able to shave off, many thanks to my coffee, sugar cereal and Nutella addictions.

Yep. Super embarrassing.

Am I blushing?

"What's your name?" He asks as he fastens the cloth around me.

My name?

I must look like a deer in the headlights because he just looks annoyed again when I don't answer.

"Look, I promise I'm not going to hurt you." He huffs. He looks up at me now, having finished tying the cloth. "I just want something to call you."

My voice is lost again.

_It's okay. He's helping you._

Can I trust him with my name?

_What's the worst he could do with it?_

I… I don't know.

_It's okay to tell him._

Don't tell me what to do!

He's looking confused again. I need to stop having these conversations with myself.

"M-My name is Ax-Axel." I stutter. Yes, smooth and confident.

He looks up from the work he was doing on my apparently sprained wrist that also is amazingly painful, tightening the bandages to prevent too much movement. His eyes are wide, like he had given up on expecting an answer, but they quickly revert back to their predatory sharpness. He simply goes back to his work, the furrow in his brow deepening.

"Thank you, Axel." He says quietly after a long moment of silence.

Weirdo...

He finishes my wrist and gently lays it back down in my lap where my knife still resides. When did I even realize I let it go?

Oh my god, I'm so tired.

He pulls my dull aching foot from its criss cross formation and inspecting the swollen ankle. I relax against the tree. My eyelids feel like a bajillion pounds and I am faintly aware of him shifting into a more comfortable position before pulling my foot into his lap to dress what injuries have found their way there. I don't even know anymore.

"What's your name?" I think to slur before I let the immense drowsiness overtake me against my better judgment.

My eyes close.

"... Link."

* * *

She goes quiet for a long while and Link looks up to see that the strange girl has fallen asleep.

The strange, panicky, spacey, apprehensive, annoying girl.

_Axel_, he reminds himself.

Strange name.

Everything about her is just strange.

For the thousandth time, he finds himself second guessing himself, something he doesn't often do. What if he's wrong? What if she isn't the one?

… But she is. She has to be.

Despite her out of the ordinary round ears and unusual mercury colored eyes and outlandish clothing and all around looking like she dropped out of another world…..

He can't afford to be wrong and go out searching again.

Hyrule can't afford him to be wrong.

* * *

**Please, if you have the time, drop me a review! It really makes my day when I know that people read my stories and care to see them continue.**

**I hope you are all having an awesome day! And even if you're not, I sincerely hope it somehow gets better. :) **

**-IAmTheStars**

**Oh, and please excuse any mistakes. It's 2am and editing is a bitch. If you notice anything wrong, then please (kindly) let me know! **


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